Print

Baenre, Nynshari

Classics

2009

MA

Parmenides' treatise marks a turning point in western philosophy, and his methods, views and arguments have shaped much of what philosophy is today. He was the first to use deductive arguments in philosophy, the first to ponder what the Law of Non-Contradiction and the Law of the Excluded Middle imply for reality, and, in questioning the nature of existence itself, he created what we know today as metaphysics. His philosophy provided the foundation and framework for many of the philosophies of Plato, Plotinus, Augustine, Anselm, Descartes, Kant, Leibniz, Spinoza, Hegel, McTaggert, Russell and Lewis. Despite its vast influence, however, Parmenides' philosophy remains one of the most puzzling and controversial philosophies in western thought. From Plato to Mourelatos, philosophers have debated the nature of his philosophy, struggling for more than 2,500 years to identify and understand its most fundamental aspects - a task which has yet to be accomplished.
Most interpretations of Parmenides' philosophy fail to adequately acknowledge and address the powerful role that logic plays in his treatise, choosing instead to focus on its metaphysical, and even its mythological, elements. Logic, however, permeates the entire treatise; its role in Parmenides' philosophy is deeper and more encompassing than has previously been acknowledged. This paper discusses the most controversial aspects of Parmenides' treatise - the use of [epsilon]ð[tau][Iota], negation and the logical nature of what-is-in order to show the central role that logic plays in Parmenides' choice of language, his arguments and his conclusions on the true nature of reality.